Dear Editor;

If Robert Johnson thinks that is a scam I suggest Robert look very closely at his bill should he ever venture to Daidomon Royal Plaza. The last time I went we were given cold paper towelets to refresh ourselves and when I received the bill I questioned two item’s on the bill and was informed that the paper towelets were 5 baht each and 6 baht each for a little saucer of peppers neither of which we asked for. And I am actually a member of Daidomon, so if they treat members that way what chance has Joe Public got?

But I will give Daidomon their due since they have started giving a free salad bar and as much as you can eat of the free ice cream. I’ll put up with it as my Filipina girlfriend like’s the food and I like the 8 flavours of ice cream.

Are there any more Daidomon scams that I have missed?

Sir,

Meandering around a local supermarket last week I happened upon the Pattaya Mail. I thought I would purchase a copy for my own interest and also to give my friends at home a taste of what life is like here in good ol’ Pattaya.

So, imagine my surprise when I see an article on the Royal Albert Bridge complete with photographs of my hometown, Saltash, Cornwall, England.

Needless to say page 15 of issue No.21 has become rather dog-eared because I have been carrying it around with me so when I am asked, “Hello, where you from?” I show a photograph of a view from the front room window of my house!

Many thanks Pattaya Mail. I shall be checking your paper on the Internet when I return home.

Kind Regards,

Sir;

My son and I are both married to Thai nationals, and I agree fully with the sentiments expressed by ‘married to a Thai’. Why should Thai authorities continue racialist policies not reflected in normal international practice? It is a human rights issue to be with your family in the country of your birth.

Once people have shown a committed relationship Thailand should allow right of abode and work permits to partners of Thai nationals, just as the UK allows Thais who settle here.

No wonder our wives don’t want to live in Thailand.

We love the people but the system stinks.

Sir;

What with the crackdown on extended hours, talk of replacing the baht buses with normal buses, laws to tear down half of walking street, and complaints about Songkran, it seems that some people want to make Pattaya as normal, quiet and boring as everywhere else?

Let us recognize that most tourists come here because it is different.

There are not many places in the world where you can have as much fun as in Pattaya, and the tourists want it to continue all night, as it used to. OK, not in residential areas, but in the ‘entertainment areas’ businesses should be allowed to stay open as long as they have beer and customers.

Then the baht buses. I travel a lot around Asia and the world, and I can say that there is no better and cheaper system of public transport. To replace them would be to destroy a part of what makes Pattaya. The city council should reduce the number of them, I think there are about 750 and 500 would be plenty, then the 500 remaining would get a better income and be less inclined to cheat. The council should also make sure that any drivers that do misbehave have their licenses revoked.

Walking Street (as it is now known) has been the heart and soul of Pattaya for all of its life. To tear down the whole of one side would be a disaster. The government and city cannot manufacture a resort like Pattaya, it has evolved into something unique.

And Songkran, for those who like it, is ‘the best fun you can have with your clothes on’. I and some of my friends make sure we are in Pattaya for that week. For those who do not like fun, there are 51 other weeks in the year when you can visit Pattaya, though be careful in the rainy season - you might get wet!

There are plenty of ways to improve Pattaya, but let us not start by destroying the unique things that attract the tourists.

Editor;

I read with great attention your article about SOS Rice in Pattaya Mail dated Friday 18 May 2001 page 19 and I congratulate all those who participated and gave their time for the success of the operation.

Meanwhile, I am not so happy with the part concerning the history of “Operation SOS Rice”. I feel insulted as all other people who have worked hard to make the first operations a success.

Allow me to rectify a few points:

The first three operations were organized exclusively by French, Belgian and Swiss businessmen, retirees and guests, from Pattaya under the dynamic leadership of Didier Fr่res the managing director of the “L’Echo du Siam” a bi-monthly French magazine.

One day, Didier Fr่res came to see me and told me he had the idea to organize a great caravan - “like a circus parade” he said - to go around Pattaya and all developments to collect cloths, games and food for the Pattaya Orphanage. He asked me if I would have the time to go with him to see Father Ray and explain his plan as he didn’t speak English well enough. I agreed. We met father Ray but his answer was that he had enough clothes and games but not enough rice.

For a few days, I thought about the project and the more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea of a caravan going through Pattaya. “Who keeps a lot of rice at home?” It is how, one night, I got the idea to organize a collection at the exit of all the shopping centers and malls.

The next day I explained my idea and plan to Didier and to Christian Sanchez, manager of the Sigma Resort. My idea was immediately adopted and I was put in charge of the organization, while Didier Fr่res, always full of enthusiasm, was in charge of recruiting help for the operation, and Christian with his secretary started to visit the managers of the shopping centers to gain their agreement and help.

This is how it started.

The idea was simple: we would distribute short notices in English and Thai explaining our purpose to all people going in the shops, and wait at the exit to collect what they would give. Stands were open at Best, Big C, Foodland, Friendship, Lotus and Mike Shopping Mall. They were managed by farangs, mostly from the French speaking community, some of their friends or guests, and with the help of children from the Pattaya orphanage and students from the Redemptorist School for the Disabled.

When we explained our plans to Fathers Ray and Michael, they said that they would be more than happy if we could reach 3 tons of rice... I remember that I bet with Father Ray that we would get him at least 10,000 kilos and he laughed saying that it was impossible. Six weeks later the operation started on a Friday morning and lasted till the Sunday at 4 p.m. Later that day, Didier (who loved parties) gave a party at the Sigma Resort in Jomtien, and we had the pleasure to present to Father Ray all the gifts we had collected. I will never forget his astonishment when we put in front of him a mountain of 15,245 kilos of rice and all the other stuff that we had collected. But his surprise was not over yet, as Didier had still to give him a simple plastic bag containing the 72,891 baht that we had received in cash. This is far above the 30.000 baht that you mention.

The following year we reached a total of 444,104.75 and for the third year the 18, 19 and 20 December 1998 we were able to collect 486,633.05 baht of which we has to deduct only 31,604.50 baht for expenses. This means that the total we had the pleasure to present to Father Ray was exactly 456,604.55 baht (including 11,235 kg of rice!).

We all, who gave time to these 3 first operations, are feeling sad and hurt by your article, and we hope that you will publish this rectification.

Welkom Inn